Ferry Accident Severs Arm of Worker in Ottawa

The Ottawa Citizen in Canada reported that a veteran employee of the Quyon ferry had his right arm severed in a ferry accident on July 11. Four men were working on the company’s new vessel, a 215-ton cable ferry with space for 21 cars, when a cable snapped and severed the arm of 33-year-old Harold McKenny. According to the Citizen, the workers decided not to wait for an ambulance and instead took McKenny away in a pickup truck. Police said he was taken to hospital in Shawville and would likely be transferred to Gatineau, but McKenny’s mother told the Citizen that her son was being taken to a hospital in Montreal to see if they could reattach his arm.

According to the Citizen, McKenny has worked for the ferry company since starting as a deckhand when he was 14. The ferry owner is also McKenny’s uncle, Don McColgan, and he did not speak to reporters. McKenny’s mother said, “Nothing like this has ever happened before on the docks.”

Another ferry employee, Nicholas Rutter, did not see the accident, but told the Citizen that he was still upset. “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my life,” Rutter said. “I’m pretty shaken up by it.”

Ferry operators have a duty to ensure that their vessels are safe, and Latti & Anderson LLP represents both passengers and workers who sustained injuries on ferries. Amputation injuries are especially devastating because of the profound physical, social and emotional challenges that victims face in their recoveries. If you or your loved one sustained catastrophic injuries because of faulty equipment, operator error or a ferry owner’s failure to maintain the vessel, you may be entitled to compensation under the Jones Act. Contact our firm right now at (800) 392-6072 to take advantage of a free consultation or complete the form on this page to let our Jones Act lawyers review your case.